Nope, not a car commercial. It’s so much more than that.

Beginning Sunday, December 5, 2010, the East Campus of Richwoods Christian Church will be a tangible reality. Our public launch isn’t until January, but as we’ve stated previously, our community of faith needs time to bond, unite in purpose, and establish connection prior to inviting our friends and neighbors to the table. That process begins in just a few days.

On December 5, 12, 19, and January 2, East Campus services of Richwoods Christian Church will begin at Central Junior High School from 5p – 7p (Sunday evenings between 12/5 and 1/2 NOT including 12/26). Our services will include:

• a meal
• children’s ministry
• worship in song
• communion
• offering
• teaching (sermon)
• campus specific training

This is, without a doubt, THE place to be if our East Campus is your place of worship.

Practically speaking, I can certainly appreciate the mixed emotions associated with this inevitable step in our growth process. On the one hand, how exciting – our dream is finally coming into being!! On the other hand, it’s a little dose of reality. A couple weeks ago Dan, our Worship Director, tweeted the fact that he had just, for all intents and purposes, led worship at the Knoxville Campus for the last time. Yep, the transition is upon us.

While I believe it’s important to acknowledge the sentiments of our experience at Knoxville, I am also more convinced than ever of our “purpose beyond self” – our mission of helping people find and follow Christ. It is really amazing to me how God is pulling so many details together – way beyond what we could do on our own. He has placed people in key positions in the school district, brought leaders into place on our teams, and given us favor in a myriad of little details. We are meant to be here, folks, and we are this close to getting it all started.

Keep an eye out for a number of subsequent communications as details continue to firm up – so much is happening, and it’s all coming to a head. This is it! This is what we’ve been praying and waiting for. For these four weeks anyway starting December 5, enjoy a little more sleep or some of that pre-game programming, and then come to worship, plan, and dream with the East Campus on Sunday evenings. To God be the Glory.

Blessings to all, my friends! Happy Thanks-Giving!!

Ken

We have been praying for this for quite some time.

We have worked hard toward this particular goal.

We have acted in faith.

And then tonight… The District 86 School Board unanimously approved our use of their facilities. Wow. I wish you all could have been there to hear the gracious spirit with which the School Board handled our request. The president of the Board made an extended comment welcoming us to their facility and wishing us well in our attempts to serve their community. I was duly impressed.

So, as of about 7:30p on Tuesday, November 16, 2010, Richwoods Christian Church has a new residence east of the Illinois River – Central Junior High School in East Peoria. Our East Campus has become a tangible reality.

Would you please spend some time in prayer this week thanking God for his hand in orchestrating this incredible blessing? To God be the glory forever and ever, amen.

Hello East Campus folk!

Ken has given me permission to commandeer his blog in order to tell you about our plans for November 13. We will be partnering with Mark Rotramel and the Adopt-A-Block program on the south side of Peoria in order to rake leaves and pass out flyers in the neighborhood regarding the Thanksgiving lunch happening the next weekend. We will meet at 10:00 am at Maranatha Christian Fellowship and work until approximately noon.

In his book Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, Eugene Peterson points out that the first people to experience the resurrection were not people who were looking for personal gain or comfort from God. They were not people seeking transformation. They were simply serving Christ by bringing spices to anoint His lifeless body, without any conception that Jesus was alive. Because of their selfless devotion to God, they were allowed the privilege of being the first to experience this wonderful miracle. Their act of service allowed them to be present at the beginning of all things being made new.

All of this to say that I hope that you will able to make it on the 13th. Service is so much more than something we are merely supposed to do. It is a concrete way for us to take part in what God is doing. It is a chance for us to align ourselves with God and His plan for all creation.

Isn’t that what East Campus is all about? It is not about making our lives simpler. It is all about following God where he leads and showing his love to those around us.

Dan Crumrine – East Campus Worship Director @ Richwoods Christian Church